You are here

Yosemite Nature Notes: Horsetail Fall in Full Technicolor

Share

Horsetail Fall, when illuminated by the setting sun, is one of the magical aspects of the Yosemite Valley. Screen captures from Yosemite Nature Notes.

When the afternoon sun illuminates Horsetail Fall in Yosemite National Park, it can be difficult to believe it's only the sun igniting the waterfall.

The feathery tendrils of gold that descend at that time of day from this waterfall off El Capitan create a spectacular image, one that can only be seen if you are in the right position, at the right time of day, with cooperative meteorological conditions, and with enough snowmelt plunging down into the Yosemite Valley to snag the sundown.

Ansel Adams is thought to have captured the scene in the 1930s -- but, of course, in black and white.

Watch the following 8-minute installment of Yosemite Nature Notes from Yosemite videographer Steven Bumgardner and you can not only learn some of the natural history behind this phenomenon, but also get some tips on how to capture a photograph of it yourself.

Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.